Garment-pocket reenforcement



Nv. 3o, 192e.

` R. C. BLACH GARMENT POCKET REENFORCEME-NT Filed Nov. 19. 1923 Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

UNITED STATES RALPH C. BLACH, 0F BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

GARMENT-POCKET REENFORCELENT.

Application filed November 19, 1923.

My inventionrelates to a new and iinproved reenforcement forthe pockets of gar ments, and more particularly for the pockets of pants, coats, overcoats, overalls and the like.

The pockets of mens garments, particularly the side trousers pockets are weakest at the joints at the upper and lower ends of the pockets, and it has been attempted to overcome this weakness by the use of facings or reenforcing strips, the ends of which are carried beyond the joint and bar tacking which connects the fore or outer part and the rear or inner part of the garment at each end, but even as thus reenforced the pockets tend to tear out at their ends, experience proving that the bar tacking, which is the most effective stitching now available, actually tends to weaken the fabric at the stitching and cause it to tear there. i

The object and purpose of my invention is to provide a pocket having equal and full strength at its ends and which is so reen* forced as to relieve the joint stitching or bar tacking from direct pull or strain which would tend to cause the garment to tear or give there. To this end I provide a facing or reenforcing strip either of the same material as the garment or of any suitable material, with or without a strengthening tape as the particular use may make desirable, and this reenforcing strip, preferably in the form of a continuous loop, is set in the pocket with its joint disposed away from either pocket joint. Obviously the reenforcing effect can be obtained by a facing or reenforcing strip which is made fast at its ends to intermediate points on the fore and back parts of the pocket and passes unbroken across the pocket joint, but for maX- imum strength, simplicity, ease of application and more attractive appearance I prefer the pocket reenforcement in the form of a continuous loop, and I set the seam of the loop preferably at a point midway of the outer or fore side of the pocket, where it will be least exposed.

My invention is illustrated only in its application to a trousers side pocket, but it is to be understood that such illustration is typical of the adaptation of my improved reenforcement to any garment pocket.

According to the drawings Fig. l is a perspective View of a trousers Serial No.r 675,559.

pocket shown partly open with my preferred type of reenforcing facingvapplied therein.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the garment on the line 2-2 of F ig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. l is a detached view of the reenforcement in its preferred form.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, l designates a pair of trousers hav` ing the ordinary side pocketing 2 therein..

The pocket opening is formed between the edge of the fore part 3 of the trousers and the edge of the adjacent rear part 4 of the trousers, these parts being stitched together with a side seam up to the pocket opening and above the pocket opening in accordance with any established practice. My improved pocket reenforcement, in the form of a continuous facing loop 5 is formed by a strip of fabric, preferably formed of the same material as the garment and having its ends connected by a stitching 6. This loo when flattened out corresponds in lengtii with the pocket opening. The pocketing proper is first stitched to the fore or rear part of the reenforcing loop 5 by the stitchings 7 and the loop and pocketing are then stitched to the front garment part 3 by the stitching 8 and to the rear part 4; by the stitching 9. A. facing l0 is caught by the stitching 9 along one edge, its other edge being connected by stitching -11 to the edge of the rear side of the pocketing 2. The. front and rear parts of the trousers are stitched together by bar tacking 12 just above the upper and below the lower ends of the stitched in reenforcing loop 5. This reenforcing of the side seam connecting the front and rear trousers parts makes it apparent that the strain on the pocket is primarily not borne by this bar tacking 12 but by the continuous ends of the loop 5 which bridge or pass unbroken about the joints at the upper and lower ends of the pocket and give the full double strength of the garment material to resist tearing or breaking out at the ends of the pocket. Obviously the reenforcing loop 5 can, if desired, have a further reenforcing tape 13 sewn in its outermost edge as is indicated in Fig. 4. The width of the reenforcing loop is preferably reduced towards the bottom joint of the'poclret but the particular shape of the loop or the manner of its attachment to the garment and poclreting, as the pocket is set in, can be Widely varied Without departure from the substance of my invention. The advantage of reducing the Width of the reenforcement at the bottom of the pocket is that it gives the least amount of friction possible in putting the hand into and taking it out of the pocket.

It Will be observed that the joint or seam in the loop is at break joints with the joints or seams connecting the front and rear garment part-s 3 and il, and this is essential to avoid imposing the strain on the pocket on the stitching 6 which is the .present practice and which is vwhat my invention is primarily intended to avoid.

The front and rear parts of the trousers are typical of the equivalent elements in the pocket in a coat, overeoat or overalls, it being considered unnecessary to illustrate these various applications of my invention as the same will be readily understood by those vskilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A garment pocket reent'orcement comprising a strip of reenlt'orcing lfacing fabric having its ends stitched together forming a loop having its outer edge folded on itselt to form a continuous reen'toreement therefor, poeketing fitted about said loop and stitched thereto and to the garment through the folded edge about the pocket, said loop having its seam at break joint with the joint yconnecting the pocket and garment sides at each eind of the pocket to cause said loop tol bridge thev pocket joints with a continuous piece of unbroken reenforced fabric which surrounds and reenorces the entire opening of the pocket.

2l A garment pocket reentorcement aecording to claim l, in which the fabric 4loop has its folded edge out-turned,

3. A garment pocket reenforcement according to claim l, in Which a reenforeii'ig .tape is stitched in the fold. y

In testimony whereof I aiiixmynsignature.

RALPH C. BLACH. 

